The Fox's Mindscape
by wolfrun1
Summary: After Sasuke left, Tsunade was worried about Naruto's mental stability. With Ino's mind-entering abilities, will she be able to fix him or will she be too scared?
1. Prologue

Diclaimer: I don't own Naruto...actually, I don't even own this idea. crazyfoxdemon can up with a whole lot of cool ideas for stories, but just didn't make them into story form. Visit crazyfoxdemon's page if you think that you might want to take an idea.

'Naruto's mind…I can't explain it. I mean, I'm not aloud to. It's forbidden, against the rules.'

"Ino…"

'I'm sorry, I need to stop rambling. Ino, as a Yamanaka you have certain responsibilities. Damn, this is harder than I thought. I thought… this would be easier to explain. But I can't tell you why. I mean, look, the point I'm trying to make is-'

"Yamanaka Ino!"

'Never enter Uzumaki Naruto's mind. It's full of memories, secrets, things that I'm not even sure that I could handle. His mindscape is…dangerous.'

"PIG!"

"Huh?" The platinum blonde snapped out of her thoughts. Then she remembered where she was, the Hokage office.

"Shishou is trying to speak to you." Her best friend, Haruno Sakura, scolded. "It's disrespectful to ignore the Hokage."

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Tsunade-sama."

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama." Ino had been summoned to the Hokage office to day. It had been five years since she had that discussion with her father about Uzumaki Naruto's mind. It had been one month since her childhood crush, Uchiha Sasuke, left the village of Konoha. It had been three weeks since the Sasuke Retrieval Squad had returned empty handed. Fourteen days since Sakura had begun working under Lady Tsunade as an apprentice. Forty-eight hours since she had finally gotten over the loss of the beautiful, raven-haired Uchiha. And it had been ten minutes since she had entered the office.

"I have asked you to come here because I am worried about Naruto." Tsunade explained.

"What about him?" Ino asked. Tsunade glared at the girl for a moment, and then began to speak again.

"I don't know if you've noticed," Tsunade had annoyance in her voice, "but he's been in the hospital ever since his battle at the Valley of the End."

'So that's where he was.' Ino thought. 'It has been pretty quiet around the village, lately. Peaceful.'

"I noticed. What do you need me for?"

"I know that his physical health is as perfect as always, but lately I've been worried about his mental health. He's been to quiet."

'She better not ask what I think she's gonna ask.'

"I need you to go inside of his mind for me. See if he's okay."

'The irony!' Inner Ino cursed.

"I can't." Ino shook her head.

"You what?" Sakura turned to Ino.

"I wasn't asking you, I was ordering you." Tsunade snapped.

"B-but, I can't!" Ino yelled. "I can't go into his mind! I just…can't." With that, Ino left the office. She left a speechless Sakura and a fuming Tsunade.

BOOOM!

Tsunade punched the wall behind her desk, shattering the window next to it.


	2. Change of Heart or Change of Mind

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimono. The idea for this story came from crazyfoxdemon. And blah, blah, blah, I'm so unoriginal. Deal with my lack in the imagination category.

(T.T)

"Ino!" Sakura chased after the blonde.

"What?" Ino snapped as she turned around to face what she had been running away from. Sakura stopped with a look of shock and hurt from the outburst. "I'm sorry." Ino calmed down. "I didn't mean to yell."

"Why did you turn down the mission?" Sakura was confused. Ino entered people's minds all of the time. What made now any different?

"It's my dad."

"Your dad? What about him? He's away on a mission, right?"

"Yeah, he is. But he told me—well, it was a long time ago—but he told me that I couldn't enter his mind."

"Whose mind? Naruto's or your dad's?"

"Naruto's."

"Why not? It's not like there's very much in there. Especially not anything that's worth disrespecting the Hokage to avoid."

"But…"

"'But' what? There should be no 'but's. What's so special about Naruto?"

"I don't know. Dad never gave any real reason, he just said that it was 'dangerous'. And my dad _does_ know more about these things than I do. He _has_ had my abilities his whole life."

"Ino," Sakura patted her friend on the shoulder, "you've had your abilities your whole life, too. And…"

"…_And_?"

Sakura smiled. "And if your dad didn't feel the need to explain why, then you shouldn't worry too much. It's probably not as important as you think. In fact, there may not even be a reason."

"I don't know…."

"Come on, would I ever steer you wrong?"

'Yes. Yes you would.' Inner Ino argued.

"No, I guess not." The outer Ino answered.

'Fine, just ignore me.'

"Don't guess, know." Sakura pushed.

'No.'

"Fine, you're right." Ino hugged her friend.

"Great! You can go ahead and walk to the hospital. I'll go get Shishou, she'll be so happy to hear that you changed your mind." Sakura turned on her heals and sprinted back into the office.

"Bye." Ino sighed. She walked down the street to the big, white hospital.

'This doesn't seem right.' Inner Ino sighed. 'But I guess it's too late now.'

(O.O)

Tsunade was very happy that Ino changed her mind, but she wasn't happy with Ino. She turned down the mission the first time it was given, and what was worse, she wouldn't give the Hokage the reason why the mission had been turned down.

Ino walked over to Naruto's bed. He was asleep, and according to Tsunade that was pretty much all he had been doing. She placed her hand on his forehead and then quickly pulled it back.

"He's burning up!" Ino shook her hand.

"I know." Tsunade walked over to the window. "He's not sick, but there is still some kind of imbalance inside of him. His body is trying to fight what's not there the same way it would fight a disease."

"If it's not a disease that he's fighting, then why would his body get hot? What's he attacking?" Ino questioned. Tsunade looked down at the people crossing the street, and then looked over to Naruto.

"Himself." Was her answer. She headed for the door. "Sakura."

"Yes, Shishou."

"Let's leave Ino to carry out her mission. She doesn't need us watching." Sakura walked over to her master and then closed the door as they left the room. And then Ino was alone.

"I might as well get this over with." She muttered to herself. "Although, it does seem like a shame to wake him up. He's pretty tolerable when he's asleep."

Ino took a few more seconds, she studied Naruto's face. He seemed…scared. If it is possible to look scared while asleep. Maybe he was having a nightmare.

Ino took a deep breath, she did the hand seals, she spoke the name of her jutsu, her body then fell into the chair that she had placed next to the bed, her spirit slowly made its way into the boy's head, the light around her disappeared. Naruto's mind was dark.


	3. The Sasuke Door

"H-hello

"H-hello?" It was all Ino could think of to say. She couldn't see anything. It was a darkness that she had never encountered before. It was too dark. Especially for someone's mind. Where were the thoughts? The colors? The memories? The…life?

"I-is s-someone the-there?" A small voice answered. It sounded distant but Ino wasn't sure where it was coming from. Even though it was small, almost a whisper, it seemed to be coming from every direction.

"Yes." Ino answered. "Where are you?"

"Who-who are y-you?"

"Yamanaka Ino. Naruto, is that you?"

There was no answer for a moment. There was a faint sound of shuffling feet echoing through the empty area. Ino was about to ask another question. About to try and find out more. More about the darkness, the lifelessness, the silence; but, she was interrupted by a deep, almost monstrous, growl.

"What are you doing here?" The voice rumbled through the dark, bouncing off of the invisible walls, echoing.

"I—well, the Hokage—was worried about you, Naruto, and-"

"I am not Naruto, you dumb broad."

"…Who-How can you not be Naruto? This_ is_ his mind." Ino wasn't as scared as she was before. Actually, she was annoyed. Who did Naruto think he was fooling? Just because he can disguise his voice, doesn't mean he could fool a person with common sense.

"His mind is my mind, but we are no one being. I know that you are not Naruto, yet do you not stand here: inside of his mind?" So much for common sense. "I will ask once more, what are you doing here?"

"I was sent here to find out what was wrong with Naruto. Why hasn't he been himself lately? All he really does is sleep."

"Kit hasn't been feeling…well, lately. He's…I'm not sure."

"Kit?" Ino was confused by the nickname but when she heard a low growl, she asked a different question. "So, you don't know what's wrong with him, either." It was a statement more than a question. "Who are you?" Laughter echoed loudly through what was once silence.

"You will have to figure that out on your own."

"Wh-" Ino was cut off when a door appeared in front of her. It was very plain, a white sliding door with a brown frame. Nothing fancy or elaborate. On the paper covering, there were a few characters. 'Sasuke' was written there. She studied it for a moment, and then decided that the logical thing to do was to open it.

Behind the Sasuke door was a hill with a pathway that went straight across its flat top.

"This is the path from school to town." Ino said out loud. "Doesn't it pass the Uchiha estate?" Ino looked down the pathway. She could see a little blonde boy walking in her direction. His blue eyes narrowed towards the ground as if he were angry with it.

"Naruto?" The boy stopped when she spoke, but it wasn't because she spoke.

At the bottom of the hill was a lake. The lake was large with small wooden dock where a little raven-haired boy sat. Naruto watched this boy. He glared with nothing but anger in his eyes.

"Naruto never really liked Sasuke, I guess. Even when they were little."

Then Sasuke turned to look up at Naruto. He seemed kind of…sad. Ino could see Naruto blush and then turn away to continue walking. Sasuke frowned and then turned to look back at the water. When he did, Naruto smiled. Sasuke did too.

"Or maybe…not."

Another door appeared.

"Old man Sandaime." Ino read the words written across it. And then she walked through.


	4. His What?

The door led to a filthy alley. The walls were covered in graffiti and bugs. The trash cans that sat in it were over-flowing with garbage. The sky was dark. It looked like it was about ten o'clock.

_Crash_

"Get out of here you monster!" A voice called out from the building that helped to make up the alley. Naruto ran into sight and then turned to sprint to the spot where Ino stood. He was being chased by an unfamiliar face.

"How many times do I have to tell you? 'I do not _serve_ food to your kind'!" The man held up fist. "So what makes you think that I'd _give _it to you."

"I-I'm sorry!" Naruto collapsed on the ground in front of Ino. He turned over on his back and held up his hands in defense. Not that it would really make a difference. Naruto was still very small in this memory.

Naruto's screams filled the air when the shop-keeper lifted his foot to hover over the blonde. The child's voice was so loud that Ino barely heard the sound of a jutsu being announced.

When the ground opened up beneath the shop-keeper, it surprised everyone.

"What do you think you're doing?" An old man appeared from behind the shop-keeper--who was now buried Sasuke style under the dirt with only his head showing.

"I-I was try-trying to b-buy--" Naruto was cut off when the old man raised his hand.

"I wasn't talking to you, my child." The man said sweetly. "I was talking to Mr. Momitchi." Mr. Momitchi, the shop-keeper, looked up at the man.

"Sandaime-sama, I was tiered of this monster--"

"How many times must I explain to the villagers that it is forbidden?" The Hokage growled to himself. He then met Momitchi's eyes. "You should know that there is no excuse for what you did. Children should not be treated that way."

"Children are not treated that way." Momitchi turned his head to glare at Naruto.

"Come here, Naruto." The old man smiled at the little blonde boy. Naruto got off the ground and ran to the Hokage. The old man lifted him up in his arms and held him close. "This boy is as much of child as any other five year-old this village houses. If you can't learn to control yourself, Mr. Momitchi, you will be punished. You are not the only one capable of running a ramen stand in the village. Ichiraku's will do just fine under a new management."

"Mr. Momitchi...used to run Ichiraku's?" Ino asked out loud, even though she knew that none of them could hear her.

"Hokage-sama, you can't honestly say that you think that…that thing is a child. It doesn't even have parents, right? That's why it was never claimed. It only looks like our lost Yondaime because he created him, right? He molded the monster into the form of an infant."

"I don't know where you heard such nonsense." The kind old man sad this with more venom than Ino thought possible for him. "No, none of what you said is true. Naruto was born on the day of the attack and if it weren't for him, you would all be dead. I almost regret the sacrifice the Yondaime made to save the ungrateful people of this village. And I am ashamed of how cruelly people like you would treat his only s-" The Hokage cut himself off.

"What? Treat his only what?" Ino was begging the memory to continue. "And what attack are you talking about?"

"Let's take you home, Naruto." And the Hokage turned to leave.

"No!" Ino stomped her foot on the ground.

"Y-you're just going to leave me here?" The shop-keeper asked in a terrified tone.

"Yes" was the old man's answer before he disappeared. The memory began to fade. Ino turned when she saw the next door. She read the name.

"Sakura-chan."


	5. Flowers are Flowers, Right?

"The playground?"

It was the first thing that Ino saw when she walked through the door. It was the play area outside of school. It overlooked the large lake, which meant that it wasn't far from where the first memory took place. The memory of Sasuke.

"Hey, Ino, come over here!" The blonde's head nearly snapped off when she jerked it in the direction of the voice. "What kind of flowers are these?"

It was Sakura that had called out for her. She was on the ground, picking dry, white dandelions. She still had the red ribbon in her hair that Ino had given her to hold back those ridiculously long bangs of hers--which did nothing to cover that abnormally large forehead of hers.

"Those are wild flowers, Sakura." She heard her younger self answer. "They're just weed."

"Why are they called weeds?" A new voice asked. "They don't look any different from regular flowers." The boy looked at the flowers, then at Sakura, then back to Ino.

"There's no such thing as a 'regular flower', stupid! They're all different!" Ino saw herself yell. The boy got angry.

"I.AM.NOT.STUPID!"

"How could I be so mean?" Ino asked her passed self.

"Ino!" Both platinum blondes turned when their father spoke. "Ino, it's time to go." Little Ino got up from the ground and looked down at Sakura.

"Bye, Sakura." She said as she walked backwards in her dad's direction. "See you tomorrow." She then turned around and ran at her father.

"Sakura," the boy pronounced every syllable slowly as if trying to memorize the word.

"Sakura-_chan_," the girl corrected him with a small grin.

"Sakura-chan." The boy smiled back.

"What's your name?"

"Naruto."

"Don't you mean Naruto-_kun_?"

"No…just Naruto." Sakura began to giggle. "What?"

"You don't look like a fish cake." She smiled. "You look more like a cat."

"Well…" Naruto smiled. "Your friend didn't look like a pig, either."

"Yes, she did."

"No, I didn't!" The older Ino argued with the memory.

Naruto bent down to pick up a dying, white dandelion near Sakura's foot. He looked at it for a moment. Sakura watched him admire the small flower before she spoke.

"Do you like them?"

"The wild flowers?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah."

"…Yeah….Do you?"

"Yeah, I think they're…pretty."

"Even though they're weed?"

"They're still flowers, right? No matter what they look like."

"You remind me of a flower….Your eyes are the color of the leaves and your hair is the flower part."

"The petal?"

"Yeah." Naruto took in a deep breath to sniff the dandelion. When he did, the tiny seeds flew into his nose and he began to sneeze.

Sakura and older Ino were still giggling when the memory faded out.

"No wonder he chased after her for so long." Ino sighed. "It's a shame; she was always too blinded by Sasuke to ever really notice those that really did care about her. It makes me wonder if she'll ever see it."

The next door appeared:

Shikamaru.

Hey people. I _was_ on Spring Break, but now it's over—sigh—I wish I could continue updating everyday; but, sadly, I probably can't. For those of you, who review, thank you. For those of you, who don't, shame on you. I thank crazyfoxdemon, dearly, for coming up with such a brilliant story and then allowing me to use such an idea, but I like reviews. Lol, does it really trouble you _that_ much to write something. Especially after _I_ spend so much time writing.


	6. Sleeping and Bed Bugs

"I can't believe you two!" A voice was already shouting before Ino had completely entered the room. "Honestly, it's like you're not even trying." The yelling man pinched the scar on the bridge of his nose.

"Iruka-sensei?" Ino had walked into her old classroom. She looked up at the chalkboard to see if the date was still written in the upper-left corner. "So…this happened at the end of our first year. Yeah, I think I remember Iruka asking Naruto and Shikamaru to stay after class. I guess this is why."

"Iruka-sensei," another voice called from the, now open, door.

"Yes, Mizuki?"

"I need to speak with you for a moment." Mizuki tilted his head to look at Naruto and Shikamaru—sitting in the first center row of desks. "Is that alright? If you're busy—"

"No, no." Iruka turned to the other two boys. "Don't. Go. Anywhere." He then exited the memory.

When he was gone, Ino directed her attention to the two boys remaining in the room.

"Is that—snoring?" Ino asked.

"Hey, Shikamaru." Naruto began to talk.

"Shikamaru?"

"…." Naruto shook the boy fiercely. "What?"—yawn—"what is it?"

"You were sleeping."

"Troublesome."

"What?"

"Do I sleep during class?" Shikamaru's expression was serious.

"Um…yeah."

"Shikamaru?"

"Shikamaru, WAKE UP!"

"Five…." The sleeping child waved his hand a little.

"…Shikamaru?"

"Five more minutes, mommy." Naruto pushed the brunette out of the desk.

_Thud_

"What!" Shika looked up at the blonde.

"You were sleeping again."

"Troublesome." Naruto started laughing as he pulled the brunette off of the ground.

A new door opened as Iruka re-entered the room.

"What's so funny! Do you know how much trouble you're in!"

Ino shook her head as she left.

Shino.

AN: For you—my loyal readers—an extra door.

Ino came in through the door and the first people she saw were Naruto and Shino. The two of them were alone and sitting on the school's roof top. Enjoying the quiet as they ate their lunches. Naruto was the first to finish eating and the first to break the silence.

"Hello!" He held out his hand. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. Who are you."

"I am myself." Shino answered, ignoring Naruto's hand. "And I am fine with that."

"Um…uh…What?" Naruto scratched his head. "I just wanted to know your name."

"Name. My name. The word by which people refer to me as so that I can respond to their words. Shino. It is Aburame Shino."

"Well, that's…! O MY KUNG FU, ACTION JESUS! It's a huge bug!" Naruto attempted to squish the hockey puck sized insect, but he was foiled by Shino's foot connecting with his ass.

"Shino, you missed. How could you miss that over-sized cockroach and step on me instead?" Naruto complained. But Shino wasn't listening. Instead, he was kneeling next to said bug, whispering.

"It's okay. He didn't squish you." Is an example of his crazy words.

When the new door appeared, Ino all but jumped through it.

Kiba.


	7. The Clothes, the Ramen, and the Blush

Dear readers, I'm going to do as many memories as I can in this one chapter. It's 7:20 now and I'm stopping at 9:45. Enjoy.

"KIBA!" A voice shouted as Ino walked into the new memory.

"Naruto, calm down!"

"NO! That dog peed all over my clothes."

"Well, it's not Akamaru's fault. He needed to pee, you left them on the ground, and he's color blind."

"But it's my favorite outfit!"

"It's an ugly one, too!"

Ino watched as the two boys argued. She could see Naruto's white shirt and blue shorts balled up on the ground near the lake.

"I decide to go swimming for ten minutes and I come back to find my one and only—" Naruto cut himself off. When he did, Kiba's face went from angry to confused.

"Your one…and only?"

"Just forget about it." Naruto picked up his foul-smelling clothes and stomped towards his home in nothing but a pair of wet boxers.

The memory began to fade. Ino looked around. There was no new door.

"Where—"

"Kiba?" A voice cut Ino off when a new memory showed up.

"Hey, Naruto."

The memory was of Naruto opening the door of his apartment. Judging by the towel wrapped around his waist, the wet boxers hanging off of his chair, and the trail of water leading to the bathroom, this memory took place shortly after the lake memory and Naruto must have taken a bath.

"What do you want?" Naruto leaned against the doorframe. When he did, he noticed that Kiba was holding something behind his back.

"Look, I'm sorry about what Akamaru did earlier and I'm sure that he is too." Kiba pulled his arm out from behind his back and held a box out for Naruto. "It's not really all that nice looking, but I hope you like it." Naruto took the box and opened it to reveal a brand new—new to him—outfit.

"It's not much. My mom wouldn't let me buy anything," (A/N: he told her _who_ he was buying it for) "so I picked this out of my closet." Kiba rubbed the back of his head. "I thought you might like it. The colors kind of reminded me of you in darker shades. Orange for yellow. Navy for sky blue."

Naruto didn't say anything; he just reached forward and gave Kiba a hug. Kiba hugged him back for a while but his eyes widened when he remembered something.

"Put some clothes on!"

This time the memory faded with the coming of a new door.

Chouji's door.

xxxxxxxxx

"Itadakimasu."

The memory appeared in Ichiraku's where a young Chouji was eating a bowl of beef ramen. Ino was a bit surprised when she saw that Naruto wasn't there.

"How do you like it?" The man behind the counter asked. "This is our first day open and you're our first customer." Ino saw a pair of feet stop behind the curtain door. The feet stood there for a minute and then Naruto walked in.

"Did you say that this was your…first day?" The blonde asked.

"Yeah. Me and my daughter, Ayame, just moved to this village about a month ago. The Hokage said that the previous owner—Momitchi, I think—went out of business or something like that." Naruto's eyes widened a little when he said that. "Well, anyways, would you like to buy something?"

"I-I don't have any money. A-and I've never had ramen before." When Naruto said that, Chouji swallowed hard.

"You've never had ramen before! That's terrible! I'll buy him some chicken ramen." Chouji finished as he turned to the old man.

The memory faded there.

Hinata's door appeared.

xxxxxxxxx

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Hinata?"

plop

"Hinata? Hinata! Are you okay?" Naruto shook the poor girl as she lay on the ground.

The memory was practically fully faded when Ino came through the door. But as it faded, a new one showed up.

"N-Naruto-kun, you're hurt." Hinata reached into her pocket.

"It's alright, that crazy woman just scratched me."

The memory faded out.

"N-Naruto-kun. C-congratulations on b-beating Kiba. It looked l-like pretty tough b-battle."

"Hey, thanks!"

"H-here." Hinata held out a small jar.

"What is it?"

"It's medicine." Hinata's teacher, Kurenai.

"Oh. Thanks." Naruto takes the medicine and uses it.

"Wow. Naruto is dense." Ino shook her head as the memory faded. "I'm sure he's never figured out that Hinata likes him."

"N-Naruto-kun."

"Hinata, how can you keep stuttering even with that jacket on? It's not even that cold."

Plop

"…Hinata? Not again!"

"Hinata fainted." Ino sweat-dropped. "Again."

Memory change.

"Naruto-kun, Sasuke fell off a cliff and needs your help! I tried to help him myself, but he told me to come and get you!"

"What is it Naruto-kun?"

"You didn't stutter, Hinata! That's great!"

plop

"DAMMIT!"

Finally the memories of Hinata stopped. The next door came.

Iruka-sensei.

xxxxxxxxx

"It's so dark." Ino whispered to herself as she walked into a forest memory. "What could Naruto and sensei have possibly done in the woods this late at night?"

"You think he actually cares about you?" A completely hysterical voice shouted in the distance. Ino walked through the trees and towards the sound.

"Mizuki, stop it" Iruka shouted up at said man from the ground.

"He hates you!" Mizuki continued from a branch high up in the tree. "It's your fault. Everything is your fault!"

"Don't listen to him, Naruto!" Iruka begged. "It's not true. I don't blame you. No one does!"

"Don't be a fool, Iruka. Of course they blame him. Why else would they treat him like…" Mizuki smiled as he jumped from the tree. "A demon." Iruka's eyes widened as Mizuki continued. "It's all because he's that damned nine-tailed—!"

"NO!" Iruka cut him off, but it was too late. Naruto picked up the stolen scroll and ran. "No! You-you're not supposed to tell him! It-it's forbidden!"

"He deserved to know." Mizuki said as he turned to chase after Naruto. Iruka followed.

It was a good thing that the memory shifted itself, because Ino had stopped moving. With her mouth open in surprise, she had almost stopped breathing. When the colors faded back in, she collapsed to her knees.

"N-Naruto..." was all she could get out before the shouting started up again.

"I'll put you out of your misery, demon!" Mizuki shouted as he held up a giant shuriken. In one swift movement, so fast that even Ino couldn't catch, the weapon was hurled at Naruto. But it missed its mark.

To be continued….


	8. It's Not Your Fault

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto screamed when the scarred teacher appeared in front of him. The blood was flowing from his back at the same rate that the tears were flowing from Naruto's eyes.

Ino felt something on her cheek. She reached up to touch it. It was wet.

"I didn't know I could cry here."

"Iruka, you fool, putting your life on the line to protect that—that thing." Mizuki disapproved of the action. "You're so selfish."

"Naruto" Iruka looked into the boy's eyes. "Run."

"But—" Naruto objected.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just—run." The blonde bolted into the trees.

"And in your time of need, he abandons you! He truly is a monster." Mizuki laughed as he approach the fallen brunette. He pulled a kunai out of his holster. "It looks like there's no one left to care about you, Iruka-sensei. So, killing you will bring no one pain."

"Nobody except me, Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

A thousand copies of the Kyubii's jinchuuriki filled the trees in the surrounding area.

"Don't touch my sensei!"

The sound of battle cries and Mizuki's screaming filled the air as the clones jumped out of the trees. The memory began to fade and the next door appeared.

Kakashi.

xxxxxxxxx

The white-haired jounin was standing in front of the KIA memorial on the third training ground. There was stirring in a nearby bush and, moments later, Naruto stumble out of it. But Kakashi had already hidden himself.

The blonde looked at the giant stone for a moment and then he approached it. His fingers traced over the names carved into it, his eyes moving from word to word. His hands clinched into fists when he was done. He began to cry.

Kakashi reappeared next to him.

"What's wrong?" As far as Kakashi knew, Naruto wasn't old enough to know anyone who was killed in action. Surprisingly, there hadn't been a death in years.

"D-did…did I really do it?" The jounin cocked an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Did I really kill them all?" Kakashi's facial expression didn't change, but he did pause a little before answering.

"No."

"Don't lie to me!" Naruto yelled as the tears continued to fall.

"I'm not." Kakashi's voice was calm. "Some of these people died during missions."

"But _most_ of them died on that day—the day that I was born!"

"Don't worry about it." The man placed his hand on the small boy's head.

"How can you say that!? There are hundreds of names on this rock! There aren't even_ a_ hundred people living in the village today!" Kakashi lifted the boy into his arms. He sat them both down and leaned against the memorial, still holding Naruto in his arms.

"It's okay."

Naruto shook his head. "All of those people, all of those families, hundreds of lives."

"Everything's fine."

"All torn apart and destroyed because of this thing, this monster, inside of me."

"Don't worry about."

"I can't."

"It's not your fault."

That's when no broke down. She cried. She barely saw what happened next. The memories of Kakashi changed three, maybe four, times but she couldn't see them clearly through the waterfall of salted water that fell from her eyes.

It was so strange. _This_ was the happy little blonde boy that she'd seen everyday with a smile on his face. An ear-to-ear grin that looked almost drawn on was just that—drawn on.

When the final memory faded, Ino had stopped crying enough to see the next door appear. She didn't read the name on it, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that it was the last one.

Can you guess whose name was on it?

I'll give you a hint.

I was her's.

Yes, this is a short chapter. But I have something to share with you peoples.

Do you have a myspace? Facebook?

Do you get paid to use it?

No, of course not.

But there's a place just like those websites that _does_ pay you to use it. Just go to:

http(colon)(slash)(slash)r(dot)yuwie(dot)com/wolfrun

Replace the (colon), (slash), and (dot) with colons, slashes, and dots.

To learn more. It's free for you, but not for them.


	9. I'm Back?

"I'm back

"I'm back?"

Behind the door was a fairly large room with pale green walls, thick hotel-like curtains pulled back away from the windows to let the light shine through, and thin-sheeted beds that were all empty save one.

The occupant of that plain, twin-sized bed was a familiar-looking boy. He lay sprawled over the mattress, the sheets hanging loosely from his half-covered waist. His blonde hair covered his closed eyes as his flipped himself over and lifted himself upright on the bed and yawned.

She was back in the hospital? Is that even possible? She didn't do any hands signs to leave.

Ino turned around, scanning the room. She found her answer.

The door was still behind her. She could see the blackness from the previous but now faded memory that she had just exited.

"This is a memory? But it's so recent. How--"

She was cut from her one-sided argument with herself when the occupant of the bed sat up and lifted his arms above his head.

"Huh?" The blonde stopped in the middle of stretching when he noticed that he wasn't alone in the room. "Ino?"

Naruto hadn't actually notice _her_. What he did notice was her body—her lifeless body. The body that she had left behind when her soul entered Naruto's. The body that now sits slumped in a small, wooden chair before the whiskered boy in the hospital room bed.

Naruto swung his legs over the side of said bed. He leaned forward and waved his hand in front of Ino's face.

"Ino? Hey, Ino, what cha' doin' here?"

She didn't respond. He reached out to shake her.

"In—" He jerked his hand back and gasped.

She was cold.

He lifted her up and into his arms as he ran through the door.

"Tsunade-obaasan!"

--

I know that this chapter is short. I know that I haven't updated in forever. I know that you guys hate me right now. I know that you guys will want to murder me if I tell you how many chapters are actually left in this story.

One.

DON'T KILL ME!

If you do, I'll never write the next chapter! You'll never know how this story ends.

What's worse—an unbelievably short story…or a 95 finished story? You decide.


	10. The Confruntation Always Brings the End

"I need to get out of here

"I need to get out of here."

Ino was a little panicky. But who wouldn't be? She just saw Naruto carrying her body away; and, what's worse, he probably thinks she's dead.

Ino slapped her hands together.

"Kai!"

Nothing happened.

"Kai!"

Still nothing.

"What's going on?"

The previous memory had already faded and from within the darkness that followed, a low, throaty laugh.

"Why can't I leave?" Ino's voice cracked slightly, this wasn't supposed to happen.

"Maybe you can't leave because I do not wish you to do so."

"Who are you?" It was the same growl of a voice she had heard when she first entered Naruto.

"What do you mean 'who am I'? Do not tell me that you still cannot figure it out? Is it really true what they say about blondes and their intelligence levels?"

"K-Kyuubi?"

"Of course—who else could it possibly be? Besides Kit and I, none but members of your own family can be here. As for the Uchihas—maybe. And since I am sure that no member of said clans, besides yourself of course, would ever dare to enter a place as 'dangerous' as this…."

"Why do you think the Uchihas can enter here? Has it been done before?"

"Yes, but only by one of the remaining ones."

"Itachi?"

"No."

"Sasuke?"

"As if that queer could ever manage." You could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

"He's not gay?"

Kyuubi snorted. "He's about as straight as that Haruno woman is useful."

"Which is not at all?"

"You got it."

"How do you know he's not straight?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"Has he ever had a girlfriend?"

"No, but that doesn't—"

"Has he ever had a crush on a girl?"

"Not that I know of but—"

"Has he ever been asked out?"

"Yes."

"By whom, may I ask?"

"Everybody."

"Has he ever said yes?"

"No, but how do you know he's _gay_? Does he like someone?"

"Yes."

Ino's ears perked. "Who?"

"Naruto."

"No." Ino said it in that oh-no-freakin'-way, gossip kind of tone.

"Yeah, Kit likes him too but not in the same way. It's more of a brother relationship to him."

"How did you pick up on it and not Naruto?"

"Does Naruto ever notice it when someone likes him?"

"You're talking about Hinata now, right?"

"The Hyuuga girl—yes, that is the one."

"Yeah, I guess you're right….Do you like Naruto?"

"No."

Ino wasn't expecting that answer. "…What? Why not?"

"I do not think I have a reason to."

"Do you have a reason not to?"

"His father trapped me in here."

"…Where in here?"

"There's a seal on his stomach. That's where I reside. I can visit his mind anytime I choose, but I'm down there the majority of my time."

"Is that why Naruto eats so much?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that he is eating for two."

"Why can't I see you? Is it because the seal is on his stomach?"

"No. Do you want to?" The demon snorted.

Ino hesitated before answering. "Yes…yes, I do."

"Then step forward." The bitch purred.

Ino did as she was told. She jumped slightly when candles flickered to life a few feet away from her. The flames illuminated large, wooden pillars that had been invisible just moments before.

"That's right, come closer. You will see me soon."

She took another hesitant step.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

Closer.

"That's it, keep coming; just a little more."

She reached what looked like a giant cage. She couldn't see anything though.

"If you wish to see me, enter through the bars."

She reached out her hand and held the wood tight. She began to pull herself through the large opening.

"No!" A small voice screamed. Ino felt a hand grab her elbow and pull her backwards just as a monstrous claw scratched at the bar that she had released. A little eight-year-old looking Naruto stood beside her as she looked up from the ground.

"What do you think you're doing, you damned fox!?"

"Aw, Kit." The demon growled. "Do you really think that I've enjoyed living off of those disgusting noodles for the past six years? A fox has got to have 'variety', if you catch my drift."

"You can't just kill someone like that!"

"Oh, and how do you suppose I eat her—alive? Seriously, Kit, I never thought you the cruel kind."

"Shut up, that's not what I meant. I don't want you to eat her at all."

"Well you wouldn't let me eat you and since she's the only one to enter into here—"

"I feed you enough, don't I?"

"No, you don't."

"Well, its not that that easy collecting enough food for a four-hundred foot tall monster with a stomach the size of a small building."

"Maybe not for you, but it is for me. If you'd just break that seal—"

"How about not!?"

Ino just watched as the miniature Naruto screamed at the fox until she remembered her problem.

"Naruto?"

The boy stopped arguing and looked at the blonde girl. "What?"

"Why haven't you been yourself lately?"

"What do you mean? Why do you care?"

"I…just do."

"…You see that seal?" He pointed up to the tag on the wooden pillar. "It's breaking."

"Why?"

"…I keep loosing." He whispered the words but the silence of the rest of the room didn't drown it out.

"What do you mean?"

"I keep loosing! That's what I mean! The villagers never liked me, I'm responsible for the death of Iruka and Kakashi-sensei's only remaining loved ones, I never met my parents because they were probably either ashamed of having a demon son or were _killed_ by the demon, the only _best_ friend I ever had left the village _and _tried to murder me in the same day, and the whole town probably thinks that I helped drive him away!" He child baled his hands into tight fist and glared at the ground. "I probably did."

Ino tried to reach out and hug the small boy but he put up his hand to stop her.

"Just leave." He said it without looking up.

"I tried that."

"Then try again."

Ino hesitated a little before slapping her hands together. "Kai!"

Everything went black.

thfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfms

"Huh? Naruto…?"

Naruto stopped running when he heard the thought-to-be-dead girl in his arms speak.

"Ino! You're alright!"

He put her back on her feet and then pulled her into a hug. But when he released her, she was gripping him tight.

"Ino?"

She didn't say anything.

"Hey, Ino…you alright?"

Still silent.

"Are you…crying?"

"Sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? About what?" He pushed her off of him gently but kept his hands on her shoulders. She _was_ crying. "Ino, are you sure you're okay? You don't have anything to be sorry for." Naruto studied her face for a moment. "Is this about Sasuke? Don't worry about it. I promised Sakura that I'd bring him back and I don't go back on my word. I keep my promises; that's my nindo." He reached out to wipe away some of her tears.

"It's not about him." Ino seemed to have stopped crying. "It's about him." Ino pointed to Naruto's stomach.

"You…know?"

"Yeah…I'm…sorry." Ino started to cry again.

Naruto pulled her in for another hug. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about."

thfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfms

"He thinks that everyone will blame him for the last technically sane Uchiha leaving the village."

Ino was back in the Hokage office. Tsunade's wall had been repaired during her absence and the Godaime was currently leaning against it. Naruto was standing outside of the door waiting to be called upon.

"That's ridiculous. Why would they blame him?"

"He was the closest to Sasuke. He probably just thinks that they would blame him because he blames himself."

Tsunade thought about it and then nodded her head. "Sounds like it could be true. Naruto, get in here!"

thfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfmstfms

"Goodbye, Naruto."

"Bye, Ino."

The two blondes hugged each other in front of the large gate. All of the remaining members of the rookie nine along with Team Gai were gathered there.

"Bye, everyone! Don't worry, two years will just fly by and I'll be back before you know it!" Naruto imitated Lee's signature "nice guy" pose. "Sasuke can't stay away forever!"

And with that, he left. Ino and the others watched and waved as he disappeared into the forest.

Sakura elbowed Ino slightly in the side.

"What?"

"Spill it." Sakura smiled slyly.

"What?"

"When did you, you know, fall for him?"

"What!? I don't, I mean, I didn't!" Ino blushed.

"Uh huh, sure you didn't."

"I didn't" Ino shook her fist in the pinkette's face. "You know I only have a thing for ravens!"

As the sounds of bickering girls filled the air, the remaining people silently and quickly left the area to leave the women to their arguing.

THE END

How did you like it? If you loved it, you should try reading my other stories. I have thirteen and only two of them have pairings. Those two, I must warn you, are slightly SasuNaru. All of the rest are either hetero of no. Please review and I'll loves you.

Sincerely,

Wolfrun1.


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